


Cartier

by NotEvenCloseToStraight



Series: Short Stories! [60]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Fluff and Mush, Found Family, M/M, Omega Tony Stark, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Stark is High Maintenance, endgame rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:02:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotEvenCloseToStraight/pseuds/NotEvenCloseToStraight
Summary: Six months post- Thanos and the world has settled down again... just in time for Omega!Tony to surprise Alpha!Steve with some news.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Short Stories! [60]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/786345
Comments: 29
Kudos: 577
Collections: Great stories





	Cartier

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LittleMissStark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissStark/gifts).



_“I am inevitable.” Thanos was grim, was resigned, was triumphant in his terrible choice, resolute in his self imposed rightness, perhaps even smug in the coming victory._

_“I am inevitable.” the Titan lifted the mighty gauntlet and snapped his fingers and the clank echoed across the bloody, violent battlefield like a clap of lightning, like a roll of thunder, like the crack of a whip that arced out and struck–_

_–nothing._

_“I am Iron Man.” Tony hurt, the Omega **hurt** , every inch of his body and every hair on his head. There was fire in his veins and unleashed power screaming in his head and it was the hardest thing he’d ever done to close his fingers in a snap. _

_Dimly, he heard Steve roar in fear and anger, saw the Alpha lunge for him and grab onto his hand to share the gauntlets force. The Rescue suit rocketed out of the sky and left a dent in the earth where Pepper landed, and her grip on his wrist was desperate and terrified and Tony screamed–_

“Daddy!” It didn’t seem possible for a bed to bounce quite so much when the bouncee was only five years old, but Morgan treated the springs like a trampoline as she scrambled up the mattress and right up close to her dad. “Daddy! You’re night-maring again! Wake up!” 

Tony broke from the dream with a gasp, sucking in a pained breath and grabbing automatically for his baby girl, cuddling her up close into a relieved hug and letting Morgan’s sleepy morning scent calm his heart again. 

“Hi, Bug.” he managed after a moment. “How did you know Daddy was night-maring again?” 

“You hold on to your wrist.” she said matter of factly, every bit as observant as Pepper despite being pint sized. “The one Papa Steve grabbed. You hold it when you’re scared.” 

“I do that, huh?” Automatically, the Omega reached for his wrist. Not the one the stones had almost destroyed but the other one, the one with his Alpha’s fingerprints seared into his skin. When Steve had grabbed for him on the battlefield, the gauntlet’s power had shocked from Tony’s veins and surged right into Steve, burning the Captains fingerprints onto Tony’s wrist before tearing through his body and sapping a measure of super serum right from his bones. 

Six months later Tony was _branded_ and Steve had aged up to at least forty five before his system settled again. Bruce had ran test after test for weeks to be sure the Alpha wouldn’t just age right out of existence and _now_ —

“Are you still sad about the bad man?” Morgan’s eyes were very wide, her tiny hands _very_ soft as she patted at Tony’s belly. “Is the baby sad too?” 

“No no honey, the baby isn’t sad.” Tony leaned back in the pillows and swallowed hard, covered Morgan’s hand with his own and forced a deep breath in and then out again. It was just a dream, just a dream, it had been six months and a whole lot of good things since that day with Thanos and it was just _hormones_ bringing everything back up in his dreams. “And neither am I. I’m not sad, Bug, everything’s okay. What are you doing up so early?” 

“I was thinking!” Morgan snuggled into the Omega’s side and patted at his tummy again. “Ask me what I was thinking!” 

“What were you thinking?” Tony asked obediently and Morgan wriggled in excitement a few times before blurting, “I want to tell Papa Steve about the baby first!” 

“Is that so?” Tony tried and failed to hide a smile. He loved so much how excited Morgan was about being a big sister, loved that she was nearly vibrating with the effort of keeping it a secret, even though it had only been a secret since late last night when he’d whispered it as he was tucking her in to bed. 

“How do you want to tell Papa Steve about the baby?” he asked after another moment. “Cos I have an idea how to tell him too.” 

“My idea is better.” Morgan insisted immediately, so much like her Mama Tony couldn’t help laughing out loud. “It is! It’s better!” 

“Well now, I don’t know about _that_.” Lately Tony had been exhausted, moody and nauseous but he pushed it all away so he could Morgan just a little closer and relish a moment where it was just the two of them… cos in about seven months it wouldn’t be just the two of them anymore. 

There was a little box on his side table wrapped in bold Cartier red, a ridiculous choice in this post-snap world but one Tony couldn’t resist making. He loved Cartier, loved the pomp and circumstance and the sheer lack of necessity in each purchase and he knew Steve would laugh and _laugh_ at the ridiculous wrapping and roll his eyes over his mate getting him a present at all. 

But Tony knew his Alpha would get soft and serious and sweet when he said _thank you_ , and Steve would unwrap the red paper extra careful like he did every time Tony gave him anything. Then the Alphas blue eyes would go very very wide and if Tony was lucky, the Captain would faint dead away in sheer shock and he could hold it over his mate’s head for at least the next five years. 

Nothing put an Alpha on the floor like finding out their mate was expecting, and after Thanos, after Steve had aged ten years in just a few minutes, after Tony and Pepper had dissolved their bond and Tony and _Steve_ had decided to give the relationship that hadn’t survived the Civil War another chance… 

… well Tony would bet good money the positive pregnancy test and ultrasound picture in the ostentatious Cartier box would knock his mate flat out _unconscious_.

But it was just as important— maybe even _more_ important— that Morgan was excited about the prospect of a sibling, that she was excited to call Steve _Papa_. 

Tony and Pepper had made the split as easy as possible on Morgan, the Alpha still had a room in the cabin and she kissed Tony goodnight and good morning like she’d done every day when they were bonded, shared her coffee and slapped the Omega’s hands away when he tried to take too much food from her plate. When she went to the city to help with restoration and charity projects sometimes Morgan went along too, but it was never a matter of choosing between parents it was just a question of hanging out with Mommy in the city or staying at the cabin with Daddy and the revolving door of various Avengers and everyone else who seemed to hang out at the lake.

… and of course, _Steve_. 

The Alpha had sat at Tony’s beside as he recovered from the gauntlet, had tip toed around Pepper in the beginning and fallen head over heels for Morgan and her antics. Only after Pepper and Tony had talked about the truth of Tony’s still present feelings for Steve and parted sweetly, _amicably_ , and still wholly loving with each other did the Captain finally make his move. 

He’d swept Tony off his feet into a whirlwind courting that had involved ridiculous amounts of flowers, chocolates, terrible but achingly tender poetry, hand drawn pictures that painted the Omega like an angel… all things Steve swore he should have done years ago. 

So now there their life was Pepper who made every inch of their cabin a home, Steve who gave his shield to Sam and spent the days training with Bucky and the newest team that had stepped up to fill the gap, Tony who had been relegated to house Omega and was _thrilled_ with the chance to simply be home with his baby and tinker in his new lab, and Morgan who apparently couldn’t wait another second to shriek about how she was going to be a big sister. 

“Daddy!” the five year old practically howled when Tony didn’t answer for a long minute, baring her teeth and trying her best to growl in frustration. She was a long way from being Alpha anything, but she sure was determined to _act_ it. “Can I tell Papa Steve or not!” 

“Yeah baby.” The Omega finally relented. “You can tell Papa Steve. He’ll be really excited about it. How are you going to tell him?” 

“Shoes!” Morgan exclaimed. “I’m going to give Papa Steve _shoes_!”

“I can actually _feel_ how proud your Mama is by that choice.” Tony said dryly. “What sort of shoes, Bug?”

“These ones!” Morgan scrambled out of the bed with a hilarious amount of wriggling, then reappeared with an equally hilarious amount of wiggling before proudly presenting Tony with a pair of bedazzled sneakers in a precious size _two_. “They used to be mine and I found them in my closet! I can give them to Papa Steve for the new baby!”

“Well what if the baby is a boy?” Tony asked very seriously and Morgan replied _very_ seriously, “Boys can be bedazzled too, Daddy.”

“Ah. I stand corrected.” The Omega picked up the little shoes. “Alright then. You can tell Papa Steve with bedazzled shoes. I think that’s a really good idea.” 

“Yay!” Morgan grinned up at him. “How are _you_ going to tell Papa Steve?”

“I’ve got an idea or two.” Tony said vaguely and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Go wash up and I’ll make breakfast. When Papa Steve comes home you can tell him first.”

“And then we’ll tell Mommy!” 

“And then we’ll tell Mommy.” 

***************

***************

“Tony?” Steve shut the door to the cabin and called for his Omega mate, stretched his arms up over his head and grimaced when the muscles in his back pulled. He didn’t know if he’d ever get used to being older, to being in his mid forties and _sore_ after a hard work out with Sam and Bucky. 

He was still a long way from average, he was still a long way from _normal_ but now the Alpha looked older, felt slower, felt _human_ and despite the sore muscles, Steve was grateful for the change. 

He and Tony never would have worked after Thanos if Steve was still super powered and eternally thirty while Tony struggled with getting older every day. In fact the Omega probably would have turned his court down flat if Steve was still _Captain,_ so giving up the shield and complaining of an achy back was worth every second so long as he got to come home at the end of the day and do _this_. 

“My mate!” Steve raised his voice a little and listened with a grin for the sound of tiny feet rushing down the stairs, and the slower steadier trod of Tony’s shoes as he and Morgan came to greet him. “Where’s my family at?” 

“Here, Papa Steve!” Morgan dashed forward and held her little arms up so Steve would swing her into the air and the Alpha did exactly that, laughing out loud at her shrieks and giggles. “I’m here! I’m here!” 

“Oh, maybe let’s not do that high enough to bonk heads on the rafters.” Tony scolded only mildly. “Not all of us have unbruisable skin, Papa Steve.” 

“These days, even _I_ bruise like a peach.” The Alpha set Morgan down gently and ruffled up her hair, then moved to pull his mate up close and bury his nose in the curve of Tony’s neck, inhaling the Omega’s sweet scent with a grateful sigh. “Hello, sweetheart. I missed you today.” 

“Alpha.” Tony tipped his head to the side and purred in contentment when his mate nuzzled at his throat, scratching sensitive skin with the prickly edges of his beard. “Long day?” 

“Don’t know how you do the normal human thing.” Steve confessed, the words muffled in Tony’s shoulder since he was loathe to leave his mate’s embrace even long enough to talk. “I stubbed my toe today and thought I was dying.” 

“Didn’t you have a passel of health issues before the war?” Tony laughed at his mate, then _wheezed_ when Steve tickled at his side in retaliation. “I feel like stubbing your toe isn’t as scary as consumption or diabetes or weighing ninety pounds as a full grown Alpha.” 

“It’s equally as scary.” The Alpha maintained, and it was good to laugh again, good to smile again and to smile specifically with _Tony_. There’d been a time after the Battle for New York when the Alpha and Omega had drawn close and then closer still, and those days Steve laughed more than he ever had. But then there had been Ultron and the Winter Soldier and Siberia and Thanos–

–anyway. It was good to laugh again, and it was _better_ to be laughing with the sweet scent of his mate in his nose and the comforting weight of Tony in his arms. 

“I love you.” Steve whispered into the Omega’s ear and Tony trilled back softly, “I love you too.” 

“Papa Steve, I have a present for you!” Apparently done with watching her dad and step-dad canoodle and _far_ past the patience allotted a five year old, Morgan pushed her way between the mated pair and held up a messy yet _enthusiastically_ decorated box. “Open it! Open it!” 

Tony would never be over the way the big burly Alpha melted into the name of Papa Steve, and he didn’t bother hiding his grin as an expression three shades past _adoring_ passed over Steve’s face as he very carefully took the package from Morgan’s hands. “Thank you, Bug. I’m real excited to open this, but first tell me, what’d you get me a present for?” 

“Just open it and see-ee-ee!” Morgan cried, dancing around excitedly in place. “Open it!” 

“Honey?” Steve raised his eyebrows towards his Omega, but Tony only shrugged and motioned towards the box, so Steve smiled down at Morgan again and started to pull the hundred or so pieces of tape off the present.

“…wait.” the Alpha held up the tiny, shiny shoes and scrunched his brow in confusion. “What– what are these for, Morgan? Is this your way of saying you need new shoes, cos these are at least four sizes too small for you.” 

“Not for me!” Morgan shook her head impatiently. “For the new baby! Boys and girls can be dazzled so the baby can wear them no matter what!” 

“The new baby.” Steve repeated. “What um– what new baby? Who is having a _baby_?” 

And then with wide eyes and something that looked an awful lot like disbelief when he realized Tony was pressing gently _gently_ at his own stomach– “Omega?” 

“Surprise.” Tony held up the bold red and white Cartier box and bit at his lip to keep from blurting out _everything_ as the Alpha stared down at the shoes, over at his stomach, then at the next box. “Go on. Open it.” 

Steve opened the Cartier box just as slowly and carefully as Tony knew he would, and _damn_ if anyone knew the same Captain that jumped through walls and hurled motorcycles at baddies could be so delicate with a present…

“My mate.” Steve held up the ultrasound photo and pregnancy test in shaking fingers. “Is this– are you– are we– really–?” 

“OH NO PAPA STEVE!” Morgan shrieked as two hundred plus pounds of Alpha dropped to the floor in an unconscious pile. “Daddy! What happened?” 

“Captain America has been laid low by a black and white photo.” Tony sighed affectionately as he went to get a pillow for Steve’s head. “Red, White and Super? More like Red, White and _Unconscious_.” 

“Does unconscious mean Papa Steve is happy?” 

“Yeah, Bug.” Tony lifted Steve up enough to slide a pillow between the Alpha and the hard floor. “It means he’s very happy.” 

“ _I_ don’t fall over when I’m happy.” 

“You definitely don’t, and we _definitely_ can tease Papa Steve about it once he wakes up.” 

******************

******************

Pepper Potts was one of the busiest people in the world these days, the Alpha working non stop alongside other influential companies and organizations to bring life back around to something normal after Thanos had been wiped away. There were school to reopen and roads to fix, neighborhoods that had been mostly dusted then completely abandoned to revitalize, scholarships to fund and food banks to stock now that half the world was _back_. 

Even when she was home at the cabin Pepper was working on one project or another, here in the city she attended non stop meetings and conference calls and right at this moment the beautiful Alpha was talking on the phone in one hand, signing a pile of checks with the other, and carrying on a muted conversation with her assistant as they hurried down the hall. 

But everything stopped when Pepper caught sight of Steve outside her office with a hopeful smile, a small gift bag and a bouquet of roses. 

“Steve!” Pepper finished up her phone call, pushed away the checks and held up a finger so her assistant would _wait_ as she hurried over to the other Alpha and threw her arms around his neck. “Hi! I wasn’t expecting to see you today!” 

“Hey Pep.” Most Alpha’s shook hands or grasped each others elbows in greeting, but Pepper and Steve had been through far too much together–not to mention loving the same Omega– for that sort of formality, so Steve held Pepper tightly, carefully, for a long minute as they hugged. “How are you?” 

“Honestly thrilled to see you.” Pepper decided, and ran her fingers lightly through his beard. “You know, I don’t think I’ll ever be used to seeing you my age, Steve. I’m so used to thinking you’re baby faced despite being at least a hundred. I like this look, you seem distinguished instead of scrappy.” 

“Scrappy.” Steve laughed and opened the door to Pepper’s office, motioning the female Alpha through first. “I appreciate that.” 

“Ohhh you smell like home.” Pepper stepped close and sniffed at his neck again. “I miss the cabin and Tony and Morgan. I thought trading in my power suits for books on compost heaps was the hardest thing I’d ever do, but as it turns out getting _back_ into those suits to try and put the world back together is way more difficult.” 

“I don’t think anyone’s surprised that saving the world is harder than fertilizing.” the Alpha said dryly and Pepper wrinkled her nose at his sarcasm. “When will you be home again?” 

“Not for a few more days.” Pepper sighed. “I’m going to call Tony tonight but it’s not the same as being home with you guys and Bug. What brought you all the way into the city, anyway? Has Tony blown up the garage? Drained the lake for some ridiculous reason? Oh no did Morgan have her first broken arm?” 

“Morgan and Tony are fine.” Steve was quick to assure her, but a little less quick to place the gift bag on the table and pull out the little shoes. “But… we have some news.” 

Pepper picked up the shoes with a smile and turned them over a few times in her hands. “Oh I remember buying these, Morgan was too small to even walk when we got them! Tony accused me of trying to start a shoe obsession early, but then _he_ was the one to put them on her at least three times a week, wacky Omega. Why do you have them, though?” 

“Bug gave me them as a present.” Steve said slowly, quietly. “A present for the new baby.” 

“The new baby.” Pepper echoed, confusion furrowing her brows for a few seconds before realization had her slumping back in her chair. “…oh my god. You and Tony–” 

Steve waited with bated breath, hands clenched and heart pounding. Out of all the conversations he’d thought to have one day, telling his mate’s former Alpha they were expecting a baby hadn’t even made the list. 

“You and Tony.” Pepper said again, and then she smiled, a hand over her heart as her scent swelled _warm_ with affection. “That’s amazing, Steve.” 

“Really?” 

“Tony and I didn’t think it was possible a first time, and after Morgan we never thought to try again.” Pepper ran her fingers over the rhinestones on Morgan’s shoes and her smile softened even more. “Congratulations, Captain. I’m very happy for the two of you, and I’m sure Morgan is thrilled to be a big sister. But why are _you_ here telling me when I’m sure Tony has some no doubt extravagant way of announcing it to the entire team?” 

“Well um–” Steve cleared his throat and clasped his hands between his knees. “Pep, I know we don’t have a traditional sort of relationship– you and Tony dissolving your bond but still co-habitating, Morgan calling me Papa while still calling Tony Daddy and you Mama, three adults helping raise one kiddo– it’s not a normal sort of relationship.” 

“Mmm-hmm?” Pepper _waited_ and the other Alpha cleared his throat one more time before continuing–” 

“Getting to know and love Morgan has been one of the best things about the last six months. She calls me Papa Steve and I never thought I’d care about that sort of thing, but now it’s my favorite thing in the world right next to Tony calling me _Alpha_.” Steve reached across the desk for Pepper’s hand and squeezed her fingers lightly. “I want this new baby to know and love you like Morgan knows and loves me. Want him or her to have three parents and a big sister and a house full of love and–” 

His throat closed up as Pepper’s eyes filled with tears. “–I guess what I’m saying is that I’d be honored if you stayed with us. Not just honored– thrilled. I want you to stay with us, Pepper. It’s probably not even my place to ask you to keep calling the cabin home, but I’m here doing it anyway. You and Tony aren’t mated anymore but he loves you so much. You’re Morgan’s mom and have been a constant presence in my life for fifteen years now and it just– it wouldn’t feel like family without you around, Pep. That’s all there is to it.” 

“Oh.” Pepper wiped at a few tears as they dripped down her cheek. “And here I thought you’d ask me to move out so you can repaint the bedroom walls for the baby.” 

“Tony is already drawing up plans for an extra room for the cabin that is roughly the size of most people’s houses.” Steve sighed and Pepper laughed through her tears at him. “Plus, I’ve only known for most of a day and I’m already overwhelmed, Pep. All those times you joked about being the one who keeps Tony’s world together– not really a joke, right? I don’t know how you did it all those years.” 

“Sure you do.” she murmured confidently. “All it takes is loving that Omega until your heart _hurts_ with it, and everything else comes along easily.” 

“Well, it would come along _easier_ if you were there too.” The Alpha stated. “Please? Stay with us.” 

“It _would_ be awfully inconvenient to move all my clothes from that big beautiful closet Tony built me.” Pepper teased and Steve’s big shoulders relaxed in relief. “I appreciate the sentiment Steve, but with or without this beautiful new baby, I have no intention of moving out of the cabin. It’s home no matter what, whether it’s home to just us and Tony or us and Tony and Bug and a new baby and the several dozen people that seem to consider it a free for all restaurant on Friday nights.” 

“I love you, Pep.” Steve grinned, and she scrunched her nose just like Morgan always did and replied, “I love you too, Captain. Now then, can I give you some advice?” 

“Please, God _yes_.” 

“Spoil Tony for the next few months.” Pepper picked up her phone and scrolled through a few pictures before turning the screen so Steve could see it. “With Morgan we never got to do the fun things expecting Omega’s go through– the maternity shoots and the baby showers and all that. The world was in chaos and Tony didn’t feel right making a big deal about anything, but this time around–” 

Steve took the phone and looked through the pages and pages of different pictures and lists. “This was my idea board for when we were expecting Morgan. I looked up photographers and studios, all sorts of organic creams and stretch mark lotions, overpriced novelty items beautiful clothes…” Pepper’s smile was wistful. “Spoil him this time. Give him all this. Tony deserves it.” 

“…I feel like a pregnancy boudoir photo shoot would be more about spoiling me.” The blond Alpha paused over a rather… risque… photo of an expecting Omega, his eyebrows flying up high. “I mean… _wow_.” 

Pepper laughed at him again. “Well I’ll be home soon to celebrate with everyone, but until then kiss our unorthodox little family for me, okay?” 

“Always.” Steve leaned over the desk and kissed the pretty Alpha on the cheek. “Thank you, Pepper.” 

“Take it from an Alpha who’s been there with Tony? You’ve been gone four hours and if you aren’t home _soon_ with sea salt chocolates and something with a ribbon on top, your pregnant Omega will lose his mind.” Pepper said authoritatively, and Steve yelped in alarm, grabbed up the little shoes and dashed from the office. 

“Good luck!” she called as he ran, and once the door was closed, Pepper decided to put off her afternoon meeting for _just_ a few minutes more so she could start shopping for baby shower gifts. 

She and Tony weren’t mates anymore but they were best friends, and she had every intention of giving the Omega everything he’d wanted last time around and wasn’t able to get. 

“Baby bibs in Tiffany blue and onesies in Cartier red?” she mused, and clicked ‘add to cart.’ “Oh, I think those are entirely necessary.” 

*****************

*****************

Dinner at the cabin the following Friday was attended by more people than usual. Carol and Nebula had returned from… well from wherever they went in space, Harley had driven up from college and picked Peter and Ned up on the way. Sam and Bucky were back from training new recruits and apparently intent on eating Tony and Steve out of house and home, Scott had brought Hope and Cassie, Bruce had to sit on the porch and talk through the window, Rhodey and Happy flew in with Pepper who was still doing paperwork on the helicopter as it landed in the yard. Even Clint and Natasha made it in from the farm, Natasha still a little too pale and a little too weak after the events at Vormir had been reversed, Clint a little quieter than he’d ever been before as he held tight to Tasha’s hand. 

The cabin was _full_ and the tables were groaning under the weight of all the food, the teenagers and Scott shrieking about some video game in the living room while Sam and Bucky argued about everything from whether or not string cheese counted as _actual_ cheese to who looked better with the shield on their back. Pepper had her arms happily full of Morgan, Rhodey was listening warily to Tony’s latest story about an attempted invention and the house was _loud_ right up until Hope shrieked in alarm when Harley and Peter got a little too carried away and a video game controller winged out from the living room and nearly hit her. 

It was snatched away by a web a split second before Hope ended up with a bloody nose, and the room went _quiet_ when the two barely presented Alphas peeked around the corner with guilty eyes and even guiltier expressions. 

“Alright, there are officially too many kids in here!” Rhodey decided loudly. “Boys! You’re banished to the yard! You too, Scott!” 

“Aw man!” Scott whined. “I’m like forty, you can’t just banish me!” 

“Son, tou’re like four.” the Colonel retorted and Pepper hid a smile in Morgan’s hair. “Get out there with the boys and wreak some havoc by the lake!” 

“Calm down, platypus.” Tony stood on his toes to kiss Steve and in the same motion stole most of his mate’s food away. “This time next year Morgan will be big enough to build explosive things and you’ll be _wishing_ for Harley and Pete’s mess once you’ve got Mini Me blowing holes in the– oh crap.” 

The Omega swayed on his feet and nearly fell over, and Steve grabbed him up tight. “My mate? Okay?” 

“It’s nothing, just a little lightheaded.” Tony forced a smile that quickly turned to a grimace when Carol offered him some of the veggie and ranch dip. “Nope, can’t eat that. The smell of ranch makes me nauseous and I’m pretty sure the baby is making me allergic to all things dairy. And my allergies are super bad right now– this kid just hates my nose.” 

“Uh, _which_ kid hates your nose?” Carol asked, and then with a quick look down at Tony’s stomach. “Are you eating for two right now!?” 

“Tony!” Rhodey’s plate slipped and fell from his hands, splatting unnoticed on the floor as he gaped at his best friend. “Are you serious?” 

Belatedly, Tony realized what he’d said, that their secret was out in the open before he and Steve had even talked about how to tell their extended family, but before he could back pedal or clarify or anything, Nebula cried out in excitement and Clint whooped and pounded at Steve’s back and Carol put her fingers to her lips and whistled at the top of her lungs and the room descended into sheer chaos, round after round of congratulations and excitement and cooing and pressing at Tony’s belly while the mated pair were bombarded with questions. 

“Oops?” Tony offered his mate an apologetic half smile. “Didn’t mean to announce it quite like that.” 

“Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to give you your present.” Steve whispered to his mate, and pulled an envelope from his back pocket. “And by presents, I mean the first of at least a hundred I’m going to get you for making me the happiest Alpha in the world. Here you go, sweetheart.” 

“Oooh presents!” Tony tore open the envelope, and his eyes widened when he saw the gift certificate inside. “A boudoir photo shoot for when I’m further along? Captain Rogers! How forward of you!” 

And then with an entirely cheeky grin, “I love it. Thank you.” 

“I uh–” Steve cleared his throat and tapped at one sample picture _specifically_ , where the expecting Omega was swathed in sheer red and gauzy blue material and laid out on a lounge. “I like that one.” 

“No, we should do them outside and naked!” Tony’s scent lifted sweet and happy and Steve rumbled in immediate approval. “And I want a milk bath! And I want one while I’m wearing expensive jewelry! And one where—” 

Tony kept talking excitedly and Natasha sidled up next to Pepper to ask under her breath, “Pep, are you okay?” 

“Of course I’m okay.” the Alpha smoothed Morgan’s hair back from her forehead and asked, “We are very excited about the baby, aren’t we Bug?” 

“You’re excited for your former mate to have a child with his new mate.” Tasha asked pointedly. “ _Really_?” 

“Oh Tasha.” Pepper smiled when Steve bent Tony over into a long kiss in the background. “I love Tony to death, but _trust_ me when I say Steve can have this round. I intend to eat popcorn and drink wine and watch Steve fret himself bald over this whole thing.” 

“Is Tony going to be that high maintenance?” Natasha finally smiled too, unable to help it when the room smelled like happy and content Omega. “I wasn’t around much with Morgan since the world had just ended and all. Was he terrible?” 

“Oh my god.” Pepper laughed out loud. “ _Trust_ me, Tasha. That Alpha has no idea what to expect when Tony’s expecting. This is going to be a ride.” 

“Somehow I think the Captain is up to the challenge.” Natasha tilted her head and watched as Steve hand fed his mate a piece of garlic bread. “Yeah, I think they’re gonna be fine.” 


End file.
